Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-01-06
4 CHAT ABOUT LINCOLN.
Recoltsctions of Twenty-three Years OF
Life Ia the White House.

Pendei, Lincoln's body-guard and now
serving his twenty-thrd year in the
white house. :,
so you want TO hear about Lincoln, "
he said 10 his interviewer. rs he rubbed
his eyes to and a memory OF two de-
cades AGO. II might as well lead up to
that great mans end by saying that on
Nov. 3. 1864, Sergt Cronan, Andrew
Smith. Alfonso Dunn, and myself were
assigned to duty at the white house l
am the only survivor We We're taken
to Mr.. Lincoln's room, given instrue-
tons, and went on duty. The real IN
wardness Of the matter was that the
president had received many threaten
ing letters, and at the time preeautIon
was necessary. Everybody had to be
watched. even women. | tell you, sir.
with his ewes lighting up, 'those fiery
southern women were dangerous. had
been at the VIII house but a short
time when the president chose me as
his guard. walked with him every
where. As coincidence, one day,
when we were on the street, | said: Mr.
President, Senator Harlan is a good
man. "A very good man. he replied.
The senator aficrward became mem
Der OF the presidents cabinet and also
father-in-law Of the presidents son,
Robert Lincoln One day he said to
me. rs we were coming out of Secretary
Sranton's house: Well, Pendleton, -
he and Mrs Lincoln always called me
that have received a good many
threatening letters. but I'm not afraid.
But, Mr.. President, said /. many
brave man has lost his life because he
did not fear That's so, he replied,
that's So
Again. to show you how frank he
was. | asked him how tall he was. He
laughed and said 4 am Just six foot
three IN my stocking feet. The devo-
ton between Mr.. Lincoln and his little
son Tad, who always called him Papa
day. was something for a study. When
ever the president returned to the white
house, no matter how brief had been
his absence, he would pick that boy up
in his arms, hug HIM, and carry him
upstairs 10 his room with him. / never
shall forget how Tad interested himself
IN my behalf.
THE president was at his desk when
Tad opened the door and said: Good
morning, Papa-day, will YOU do me a
favor?' My son, you know | viii, he
answered. We'll, then, sir, Just sign
that. The president read the document,
looked at the boy proudly. half amused,
and, picking up his pen. inscribed his
name. This is the document, said the
old man, huskIly, as he held ont bit of
faded paper that shook because his hand
trembled:
Executive MANSION, Dee. 81 lS6 -
Ties presents wan - that Thomas f..
Pendel is duly appointed an usher IN the
place of Edward McAanus, now dismissed
\, LING In.
This boy was only IS years old, y
continued Mr. Pendel ''IIe was very
fond OF me. He would meet me on the
stairway and say: Tom Pen, YOU 90
upstairs and ask mamma may | 90 to
the theater and tell her you'll take care
OF me. would 90 and say, Mrs LIN
cold, Ted wants to 20 to the lheater;
may hep No. | don't think he had
better, she would say IN 20 with
him and take god care of him VIII
YOU be sure to do il, Pendletou? Well,
then, ! guess he may 20.
lit was my duty to stand in front of
'jnnt's desk when he was re-
cciyrny BUSINESS visitors OF all the re-
,.iesla. AMI he would listen to ANYBODY
One day two southern women came and
said: Mr. President, won't YOU give
us pass to Rchmond?' No, 1 won't,
was the plain answer. They sat down
sulenly. and after awhile the president
called them up, and SAID: Yes, | will
give you pass to Richmond writing
one on his knee at the time. Il would
rather have you there, because if you
stay here YOU il just inform the confed-
eracy of what we are doing. \ Young
officer who wanted 10 Toe transferred to
Hancock's corps submitted the ucces-
sary papers TO him. When ut length he
called for the presidents decision he in
qured very biuntly: Well, nave You
looked at the papers?' Yes, said the
president. Well is there ANYTHING
more YOU warH Hancock saws YOU
are 2 liant oil er, sir, said Mr.. Lin
cold sternly, looking him in the eve,
bur you are not q sober officer That
settled il. ="
Mr.. Pcndel was nearing the blacklist
spot in his memory-the night of the
assassination.
"On one dark rainy day the president
and myself walked over TO Secretary
Stanlon's office in the war department
He aud Mr. Lincoln held a conference,
and then we started back again. On
the stairway OF the department we met
a stranger who looked at the president
and he looked at him. | watched them
both intently. The man passed on his
way upstairs and the president kept
gong down, but Mr. L ncoln kept his
eyes on hun. When the stranger reach
ed the head of the stairs I've turned an
peered over the baIustrade, and when
We reached the pavement the president
spoke for the first time. 'Pendleton,'
he said. Il received q ietter from New
York yesterday telling me that a man
answering hi, description and dressed
just like him was on hIs way to Wash.
in ton to Kill me-
Chen came that terrible night Mr.
Ashmer, Of New York. Mr. Cofax,
speaker OF the house, aud Mr.. md Mrs